“I told him $30,000.  In the mornin’ he gits a hoss, rode round with ther boys, and when he cum back, went down inter his pocket, drew out er wallet, and counted out thirty $1,000 gold notes, saying:  ’I will take ther place.’

“‘It’s a go,’ says I.

“We went ter town and hed ther papers fixed up.  That war last February.  Then I started out, went slow round ter New York, then over here; I’ve been up to Scotland, over to Wales; been to France once; jest cum over from Ireland, and ev’ry day I ride ’bout twenty miles in this ’ere town, and I’ve never found any end to it yet, ‘cept when I went on ther keers’ ’nd thet day I went ter ther races.  I believe it’s bigger’n all Texas, and its very size worries me.”

“What have you marked out for the future?” asked Sedgwick.

“Not a blamed thing,” was the response.

“How would you like to take a trip with me?” asked Sedgwick.

“I’ll go ter any place yo’ say, Jim; I don’t keer how fur,” said the candid man.

“Do not promise too quickly,” said Sedgwick.  “I am thinking of starting for South Africa in two or three days.”

“South Africa goes, if yo’ say so,” said Jordan; “I’m yours truly, blast my broad-horned heart if I ain’t.”

“Well, old friend, it is growing late.  If you will be here to-morrow morning at eight I will tell you all that is on my mind,” said Sedgwick, rising.

“I’ll be har,” said Jordan.

Sedgwick stopped to settle the bill, but Jordan pushed him aside, saying, “Not to any particular extent, if we knows ourself.”  He tossed a tip to the waiter, paid the bill, and was going to add a shilling for the young woman who was the cashier, when, glancing up at her, he changed his mind and made it a guinea, because, as he explained, “Her hand war sunthin’ like Maggie’s.”

The friends separated at the door.

It was eleven p.m. when Sedgwick reached the Hamlin house.  He would not have gone at that hour, except that he had been given a pass-key on the first day he was there, with a request never to fail to come in, no matter how late he might be detained.  Moreover, he wanted to see Jack.

Before he could open the door, it was swung back by Grace.  She explained that she was on the watch so that she might form an idea of what hours Sedgwick was in the habit of keeping, and to tell him how very angry she still was.  Then she gave him a smile such as an angel might, and was gone.

Sedgwick went at once to Browning’s room, but he was still out.  He crossed over to his own, threw off his coat, put on a smoking-jacket and slippers, and lighting a cigar, sat down to think.

Before very long Browning came in.  “I found him,” he said.  “He was shy about giving me the facts, but I ginned him up to the confessional point.  He told me all the truth at last.